Knox had managed to seep in the shadows once again, but this time much slower. The flares of fireworks Raya created slowed his movements as the light her attack casted took away a range of shadows. Noticing it, Damon smiled.
"I wonder how tough you are without shadows or the shade. Raya, cast as much light as you can once he appears. He cant move as fast without the use of the shadows around him. "
Damon watched, his head snapping around trying to find the slightest clue as to where Knox would appear next. Jasper growled in agony just before he was sent flying towards Raya who attempted to draw forth her power, but had to stop due to possibly hitting Jasper as he soared her way.
That second of hesitation costed her, the next moment her shadow rippled. It twisted into two ropes that wrapped around her legs binding her in place. One end of the shadow ropes were around her legs while the other looked to be phasing through the ground.
Knox resurfaced with two swirling balls of shadows. His eyes brimming with intensity casting a red glare before he pushed a shadow ball into Raya's stomach. Black lines began crawling through her body outlining every blood vein from her legs and arms making her stiff and shake in pain.
Knox stepped to the side with a twist and spun backwards throwing the second ball with great speed at Damon who was approaching him from the rear. Within a millisecond the rain got extremely heavy interfering with Knox's sight. Damon slid under the flying ball and jumped hitting knox with a super man punch to his face making his body spin and hit the ground.
Like the other times after hitting the ground, before Damon could keep the onslaught on, Knox phased into the shadows casted by the trees. With how Knox ability worked, he only needed to be near anything that casted a shadow bigger than his body. All the shade the forest provided was good, but the darker the area, the more advantages he had.
"Damn it, why won't they just listen to me."
Hiding within the darkest area among them was Knox. He could see them, but only a little as Damon's rain made it difficult. They couldn't see him at all. His body was now apart of the shade and he could move freely throughout which was why he could easily appear close to one of them, but it wasn't enough.
"This shade isn't going to get the job done, its too easily penetrated. Raya's fire is a huge problem, Jasper's tenacity is annoying and Damon's unorthodox methods are crazy. His punch almost hurt more than Jasper's and that was his bare fists." He thought wiping blood from his mouth.
Raya's body had returned normal, her breath was heavy but whatever Knox did to her only lasted no more than fifteen seconds.
"Raya, you ok ?" Damon asked a bit worried.
"Yes, whatever he did is fading. "
They all gathered together back to back and cautiously looked around. Raya handed her spear to Damon as she concentrated creating two flares encased in a transparent energy like before.
"Whats the plan Damon, that little bastard dissappears every chance he gets." Jasper asked.
"I have one, Damon said earlier to cast more light to take away the shade which is how he's moving so fast. With these if I concentrate hard enough I should be able to..."
The orbs of flares left her hands and glided around in the air casting light that illuminated the area around them taking away their shadow and the shade near them.
"Now he has no choice but to appear away from us. This will give him less time to attack and more time for us to counter. Only thing is I dont know how long i can keep it up. This power is still very new to me, I need more practice. "
"You'll be fine, the best practice is a real fight with something on the line. You're tougher and more mentally stronger than you think." Jasper said with darting eyes watching their surroundings.
Raya looked at him for a moment and blushed a bit not believing he was genuinely complimenting her.
"There." Damon shouted.
All eyes focused on knox who was running away. Spiraling energy raced towards Jasper's legs, the next second he took off emitting a red burning smoke that came from his feet.
"Don't think you're getting away that easy. A real man never runs away." Jasper shouted.
"His speed, it increased." Damon thought with wide eyes.
Raya took off behind him and Damon followed. The swirling orbs moved with Raya rotating in a circle as she ran. She concentrated on maneuvering throughout the forest and on the orbs.
"Damn, what can I do? Raya was already fast, but now Jasper has found a way to increase his speed as well. I can't keep up with them." Damon thought grinding his teeth as he ran.
He began snatching off the cloak hoping his speed would increase, it did, but not by much. Even with his natural speed boost while being in his rain, he wasn't fast enough.
"Damn this power, its so freaking useless."
They were at least fifteen meters ahead him which didn't seem like much, but Damon knew anything could happen.
"Wait, why run now...he's trying to separate us." Damon thought. He yelled out Knox's intention, but they fell upon deaf ears.
Up ahead knox smiled while occasionally shifting into a shadow to surf through the trees making sure Jasper who was closing the distance didn't catch up so soon.
"I was counting on Raya to be ahead of everyone. Hmph, i guess you learned a new move Jasper. No matter, I have you right where I want you. " knox thought shifting back to his original form so the chase could continue.
The chase ended as they came near a dirt road. Knox turned around ready to face his first opponent. Jasper dashed at him with a wide swing. Knox ducked and spun low wrapping around to Jasper's back side driving a swift elbow in his ribs.
Energy radiated from Jasper making him barely feel the strike. With a spinning back fist Jasper nearly took Knox's head off, but Knox's agile body moved with precision as he crouched and raised up with a knee to Jasper's chin making him stumble to one knee.
Knox began to dust his shoulders off while casually walking in a circle around him.
"You know, im really telling the truth. You should consider my words Jasper. I am not your enemy. Yes im doing a job to get you three back, but its for an great cause. "
Knox said softly.
"Great cause my ass, you're a liar, and im going to beat the hell out of you." Jasper responded with his head down. The hit to his chin really shook him up, but something else was shaken up as well.
Jasper could feel more energy swelling up inside him. Spreading like wild fire as he became more angry.
"Oh come on, if you could win, i would have lost already. You have no real skills, you need work. If you come with me I know people who will teach you, bring your power to its full potential and actually show you how to throw real combinations in a fight, ya know like how a real man suppose to."
Jasper's eyes widened, his hands trembled as he closed them into a fist while gritting his teeth.
"A real man, thats something you'll never be."
Jasper launched off the ground connecting a thunderous puch, while Jasper was down, he paid attention to Knox circling and waited at the right moment, but Knox reacted in time rolling his shoulder forward generating a layer of shadows that dampened the blow.
Jasper's strike still sent him sliding across the road knocking up dust everywhere. Splitting through the dust in rage, Jasper swung several times missing some and connecting others. Knox gradually moved back partially blocking a kick to his gut.
Knox's body flew to the other side of the road, but when Jasper pursued him, he was no longer there.
"Your help has arrived, play time is over." A soft voice suddenly spoke in his ear as Knox appeared like a ghost.
Before Jasper could react, Knox landed a straight kick leading into a twisting roundhouse kick with rippling shadows surrounding him. Blood shot out Jasper's mouth as Knox's shadow kick crashed into his ribs down low and up high making his head spin.
Several seconds later, fast approaching steps and the sound of someone crashing through debris and bushes was heard.
"Jasper." Raya shouted in horror seeing him laying on the ground unmoving. The boar cloak he wore was torn, shredded with holes revealing bruised ribs. His face was swollen and his nose looked to be broken.
While Raya inspected Jasper carefully, Knox stood on the treeline in the shade blending with his shadow form. Looking in the sky beyond the trees was Grey clouds that swiftly moved across the forest. Rain could be seen in the distance.
"I say I have around three, yes no more than three minutes before Damon gets here. I must end this quickly. I can use my shadow kick two more times, but it always take a ton of my energy. Its the strongest combative move mixed with my ability that I have." He thought before showing himself.
Waisting no time, Knox rushed in. He couldn't warp next to Raya because of the spheres of light above her dispersed all the shade around her including her shadow.
Raya had ample time to prepare to defend, but instead she attacked him head on. With a acrobatic jump she twisted throwing out a kick that defied her previous speed. Knox had no choice but to evade by side stepping and flipping back.
"You think just because a little light is in the picture you have a chance to beat me, but you're wrong." Knox spoke softly. No matter the circumstances Knox's voice and tone hardly changed. His voice remained soft and calm.
Two balls of swirling shadows formed, they were different from the one he used on Raya before. Darker, much darker like the night sky without stars or the moon.
They intercepted Raya's balls crashing into them. Her beautiful flare's exploded scattering above making it rain hot embers that floated down. A wall of shadows formed over Knox, but before it could fully cover himself. Raya reached inside the sheet of darkness with a punch that made Knox smile.
"For such a beautiful girl, you have a mean right hand."
"Shut up."
Fire spilled from her hand as she opened her palm. She expected the sheet of shadow knox made to dissappear, but instead it wrapped around her hand containing the flames at first before snuffing them out.
With several strikes that seemed to come from everywhere, Raya fell to the ground and rolled back to her feet barley dodging them. Gritting her teeth, she bolted in twisting and turning in a unorthodox manner making her movements fluid and unpredictable. With an open palm to Knox's chest, an explosive short burst of heat that sounded off like a cherry bomb flung knox away.
A few meters away, Knox was down and not moving. Raya blinked profusely somewhat confused looking at her hand witch light Grey smoke floated from.
"That strike." She mumbled before dropping to one knee.
She had tapped further into her ability, but it took a great deal of energy. She suddenly felt her body begin to waver and her vision shaken, but looking at Jasper she slowly pushed herself to stand.